


Promise You'll Sing About Me

by Urus_Interceptor



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Gen, Monitor Lizard, OC, Sentient Reptiles
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-01
Updated: 2016-07-01
Packaged: 2018-07-11 16:53:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7061239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Urus_Interceptor/pseuds/Urus_Interceptor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When his home country erupts in civil war, a monitor lizard looks to begin life anew in the city of Zootopia.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Promise You'll Sing About Me

**Author's Note:**

> Special thanks to The_Random_Casual for lighting a fire under my bottom! It's thanks to his feedback that this chapter has been significantly revamped.

They say that there’s no place like home. Whether it's a little burrow or a condemned building, home is where the heart is, so long as you’re safe and comfortable. This used to be the case for the citizens of Calima, a country known primarily for two things: oil and reptiles. The lesser known qualities include extravagant tourist attractions, opulent resorts, endless sand, crumbling infrastructure, and a deep class divide amongst the oil barons and the poverty stricken populace. The essential stuff. 

Calima is a major part of a union of other reptilian countries. In fact, the world gauges the status of the union based solely on how Calima’s doing, since 62% of the world supply of oil is sourced from said country. As of recently, tensions have been running high amongst the poor and the government of Calima. The pred/prey protests of Zootopia making global news added fuel to that fire.

It’s anyone’s guess what set off the country's civil war. Whether it was incompetence of the newly inaugurated leaders, the government restricting trade with mammalian countries, or Calima electing to leave the union when the other nations refused to follow its example, civil unrest was bound to happen, and boy did it ever. Those that supported the union and could fight went after the government. Anyone else was either drafted to fight for the government, killed, or put in a camp. Very few managed to escape the country. However, one escapee, a monitor lizard named Akachi Mamba, unwittingly snuck aboard a cargo ship called the _Albatross_ via an unattended box of scrap copper wiring.

The homeland seemed so tranquil from the deck of the ship where Akachi was hiding, at least from afar. By now, it was but a speck on the horizon, with only the surrounding islands hinting at its existence. If he had his way, he would stay in his hometown of Khan, earn a scholarship to a prestigious university, and study to become an accountant. However, life has a dark sense of humor when it comes to plans. 

He crossed his claws, hoping that the next time the box would be opened, he would be in a different country, hopefully, one that won't riddle him with bullets. Instead, it was pried open two hours after the ship left the port by a red panda. Perhaps the copper wiring _outside_ the box might have betrayed Akachi’s position.

The red panda was taken aback by the sudden discovery. A monitor lizard, buried in the wiring, clutching a duffel bag for dear life. No one else was on deck since it was dinner time, so the red panda was alone in dealing with the situation.

The Albatross had never had a stowaway, let alone a reptilian one. The red panda locked eyes with Akachi, who had realized that his fate lay in the hands of this crew member who had no obligation to keep him, a pest, aboard.

“Please, don't send me back. Please…” Akachi pleaded with a look of desperation in his eyes.

“No no, this is absurd. No way is this happening.” The red panda grabbed his radio and turned the dial until it clicked to his captain’s private channel.

“Captain, we've got a situation on deck.”

“What is it?” a voice crackled through the harsh static.

“We've got a stowaway hiding in one of the scrap boxes. Please advise?”

“A stowaway?! On my ship?!” The red panda turned down his radio, afraid the captain’s booming voice would blow the speaker.

“Yeah, it’s a Calimian. Monitor lizard most likely, judging the size.”

“Uh huh… anyone else see this guy? Are there any more of them?”

“No sir, it's just him and me up here.”

“Ok. Bring him to my quarters. I'll be there shortly.”

“Roger that.” He switched off his radio and peered inside Akachi’s box.

“Come on out. We're seeing the captain.”

Akachi slowly crawled out, bringing some wiring with him. The red panda quickly patted him down for any weapons. With a firm stare, he commanded Akachi to drop to his stomach. The red panda grabbed Akachi’s duffel bag out of the scrap pile. His heart fluttered as the red panda dumped the contents onto the deck. The most dangerous thing the red panda assessed was a battered walkman. Worries of Akachi being some terrorist were alleviated, though the red panda kept a keen eye on the lizard as Akachi hastily repacked the back. He barely had time to check for all of the original contents before the red panda stabbed him with his radio antenna, commanding him to march forward.

Akachi took note of the fact that his captor wasn't carrying a weapon. Akachi could easily catch him off guard and subdue him, but restraint kept him in check. So instead, Akachi made no sudden moves, less he gets another prodding from the antenna. Inside the ship, the red panda forced Akachi around a corner. Down the hall, a small otter locked eyes with the two making their way.

 _That can't be the captain_ , thought Akachi as he got closer. He hadn't realized that he stopped moving until he felt a tremendous shove from behind, causing him to stumble.

He landed nose first with a hard thud. A sharp pain soon followed by a steady flow of blood occupied his senses. Before he could assess himself, the red panda grabbed him by the back of his sweater and effortlessly stood him back up. Akachi tilted his head forward to avoid staining his clothing.

“Hwang!” the otter barked, “what the hell are you doing?!”

“Sorry sir, I didn't realize he would lose his footing so easily,” Hwang shrugged, grabbing a towel and pressing it against Akachi’s leaky face.

“You'd better clean up that mess before someone sees it!”

Hwang let out a groan. He begrudgingly reached into Akachi’s bag and grabbed one of his shirts to use as a spot rag. Akachi’s restraint ceased as he dug his claws into the fuzzy bandit’s arm. Before Hwang could retaliate, the captain forced the two apart, scolding Hwang with an icy leer.

“Go inside, now!” the captain grunted to Akachi, pointing at his open door.

Still holding the towel to his nose, Akachi strolled into the room, placed his bag on the floor and sat down by it. Akachi figured that with his ongoing nosebleed, any blood escaping the rag would be easier to clean on the ground than any of the possible chairs in the room. 

Blood. On his hands. In the towel. A familiar sight, an unpleasant one. All of those lives. Ruined. Preventable losses, or so he liked to believe. Being a Calimian soldier meant not having a conscience. Meant going door to door, looking for rebels or defectors and dealing with them on the spot. Sometimes with a gun, to make it quick and painless, sometimes with… psychological means.

Having to breathe through his mouth, under the bloody rag, brought him to two weeks back. He and his unit of soldiers were assigned to monitor a rebel convoy and intercept it when they stopped to refuel. Easier said than done. Although Akachi’s memory of the event was spotty, he recalled running. As fast as he could, in the opposite direction. Blood on his mask, his goggles, soot everywhere else. A poorly planted IED sent both the rebels and his unit to the great beyond.

It should have killed him, but pushing against the pack saved his life. Not that he wanted for that to happen. The others had more to live for, families to support, to protect. He had only himself. No one else in the world. Not anymore anyway.

The weight of the world came off with his dog tags, though the prestigious status of defector soon replaced that burden. Hell, as far as the world knew, he died along with everyone in the blast. That would have to be something he took to his grave, unless a psychologist was willing to put up with it.

In the days leading up to boarding the Albatross, he packed his bag with anything worth saving. He knew that once he left his homeland, he could never return lest he is tried for defection. In his heart, Calima was no longer home. Not when he pulled a trigger for the first time. When he took an order from his commanding officer without questioning it. When he…

_No. Breathe. Inhale... Exhale..._

Bleeding out in the captain’s quarters was a luxurious getaway in comparison. In fact, he could die right now knowing that he was able to put some distance between him and the homeland. A comforting thought. Perhaps worth putting on his second gravestone.

The bleeding eventually ceased. He took the opportunity to clean his claws of Hwang’s blood and balled up the rag, so the little bits of its original white color touched the floor. Soon after, the captain’s door creaked open, with the otter and his red panda associate coming in. A bandage wrapped around Hwang’s arm confirmed Akachi’s lack of restraint taught Hwang a lesson he won’t soon forget.

“Alright, here’s the situation,” the captain began, “because you’re a stowaway, I have no choice but to have you booted off the ship. However-”

“Before you do that, sir, I want you to know that absolutely no one, aside you two, knows that I’m alive,” Akachi said before the captain could finish.

Hwang and the captain exchanged puzzled looks.

“I know that you have no reason to keep me on board, I’m the first to understand that. However, I can work, and I don’t have to eat as much as you mammals do. Plus, I can sleep in the engine room. I need a heat source; that’s my only stipulation.”

“Well, that takes us to your second option mister…”

“Mamba. Akachi Mamba.”

“Alright, Akachi. As it turns out, we’re short a few hands on the ship, so I can take afford to have you aboard. I value you more than some lowlife animal trafficker would.”

“I’m alright with that.”

“That being said, you’re working for your keep. You won’t be paid since you’re not a contractor or employee. That’s your best option. Take it or take a dive.”

“I’ll take it,” Akachi said without hesitation.

“Good decision, Mr. Mamba.”

The captain began to explain Akachi’s future on the ship. In between the talking and arm waving, Akachi found himself daydreaming of his new life as a ship hand. Sort of a fantasy he’s always had as a young lizard. Working at sea. Mingling with strangers, handling precious cargo. Nothing but him and the open waters. Freedom. He had completely forgotten about talking himself out of a daily meal.

“...any questions?” asked the captain.

“No sir!” snapped Akachi, who wasn't paying attention to the sea otter’s long winded speech.

“Good. Hwang, show our newest crew member to his quarters.” Aura gave a smirk to Hwang.

“Yes sir, Captain Aura, sir.” Hwang scoffed. Aura’s smirk turned to a cold stare as Hwang and Akachi left. 

No traces of blood were left in the hallway. Only a mostly spotless, tiled floor. With old, peeling wax. Specks of dirt and strands of fur underneath the wax showed the little care that the team responsible for floor maintenance had when applying the wax. Akachi figured he could do a better job with one hand suppressing a bloody nose.

Akachi’s flip flops creaking filled the silent void of the halls as he followed Hwang to his new home. _Could’ve stayed in that box of wire for the rest of the voyage_ he told himself, but a month on that scrap wiring would do a number on his back. He also would have been ok with being thrown overboard due to feeling undeserving of his new career as a crew member of the Albatross. He hadn’t planned any further than to sneak out of the country. 

Only select soldiers knew where the weakest points on the border were. In fact, it was up to his unit to deal with slacking border patrol agents. A job his fellow soldiers slacked on themselves. He made his move under the cover of darkness when those slacking agents went to sleep. Despite his layers of thick clothing, his body wasn’t up to snuff against the frigid cold. Barely moving, barely making progress. Planning several steps ahead was never his strong suit. It’s why he hated playing chess. A seemingly abandoned box of scrap wiring looked like a good place to take a rest. 

“Here we are,” Hwang said, stopping in front of a door. He fumbled with his keys until he pulled three apart from the rest. The first key opened the door, prompting a congratulatory nod. He took the key off from the ring and handed it to Akachi.

“Don’t lose that.”

Akachi dropped his bag beside the modest bed and inspected the room. Certainly much nicer than the box, though the bar wasn’t set very high. The room’s window, stained and filthy from the outside, provided a lovely view of the parting ocean.

“I can find a space heater for you,” Hwang said.

“Sorry?” 

“You need an external heat source, right? I imagine you won’t want to sleep in the engine room like you said.”

“You don’t have to.”

“It’s no big deal.”

“Why the sudden generosity?” 

“The captain told me about your country’s civil war. Had I known, I would’ve been a little more compassionate. Not try to break your nose or steal your shirt. Sorry about all that by the way.”

Akachi looked at Hwang with a sense of warmth he hadn’t felt before. A sense of comfort he’d long forgotten. He felt the corners of his lips inching upwards.

“I'm sorry about your arm.” Akachi looked at Hwang’s now bloody bandages, almost matching his fur color.

“Ah, I'm fine. Just a flesh wound.” Hwang lied as he felt an aching from his bandaged arm. 

“I guess that makes us even then,” Akachi said, letting out an awkward ha.

“Sure,” Hwang let out an amused snort. “Hopefully, you’ll get your sea legs by tomorrow morning.” He pointed to a tidy shelf housing a radio on top. “Channel 3 is the captain. Channel 4 is my channel. Channel 5 is general. Everything else is static, got it?”

“Yep.” Akachi nodded.

“Alrighty then. See you tomorrow morning, _Mamba_ ,” Hwang said with a jazzy inflection.

For the next three weeks, Akachi worked his tail off on the Albatross. Every job that needed to be done on the ship, Akachi had a hand in doing. When the sun had set, he moved indoors and continued to work. Once he finished his daily objectives, he moved onto extra voluntary work no one else was willing to take. Captain Aura took note of Akachi’s impressive work ethic. He was especially happy to have his floors properly stripped and waxed without having to pay any of his actual employees to do so.

In essence, Akachi became the most valuable yes man on the ship, taking on any job Hwang or Aura could think of. The work wasn't stimulating or engaging, but it made the time pass. It also helped drown out snide comments from other crew members about Akachi’s “natural inferiority,” of which there were plenty.

“So are your birth rates low cuz you eat the eggs?”

“Hey lizard loser, you cold?”

“Sssssssssssup ssssssssssnake?”

Some days he wanted to stay in bed because an insult burned him so bad. If it weren't for Hwang, who grew to value him as a friend, he'd join the ranks of his unlucky brethren in the afterlife. Some nights, after a hard day’s work, the two would stay up, prattling on about anything that came to mind. The lizard's quarters remained warm thanks to that furnace Hwang had promised. Hwang didn’t mind it, but he couldn’t wait to enjoy cold air once they ran out of things to talk about.

Some time into the final leg of the journey, a biblical storm pelted the ship with freezing rain, keeping Akachi indoors. He missed the outdoor work, but staying in had its perks, such as giving him more free time. And being spared the constant barrage of mockery from other crew members.

When he ran out of work he could do, he studied out of an accounting textbook Hwang found for him. The material was dry and humorless, but it didn't make snide remarks about reptiles, so he didn't mind the unimaginative writing.

He hadn't noticed the storm had cleared up until sunlight reflected off a blank page in his book. Dawn in its unfiltered glory splashing against his face gave Akachi a feeling of optimism he hasn't felt since before the inclement weather. 

He sat against his window and peered outside, observing the sparkling ocean water and vast sky laced with contrails and disappearing stars. For the first time since before he snuck aboard the Albatross, he had a clear, uninterrupted view of the world as it awoke from its slumber.

Then, a sudden metallic rapping and a muffled utterance of his surname snapped Akachi out of his trance. Taking his sweet time, he closed his book, walked over to the door, worked the old latch and slowly pulled it open.

“Took you long enough, damn!” grunted the grumpy red panda standing opposite the doorway.

“What do you want, Hwang?” mumbled the irritated lizard.

“First, I wanna know what's so important that you can't hear me banging on your door.”

“What’s it to you?”

“Well, if you’re _busy_ with something...” Hwang said with a patronizing shrug.

“What's the second thing?”

“Aura wants to see you. We’re gonna dock soon.”

Akachi spaced out for a moment before remembering the arrangement he made with the captain. Something about paperwork they privately agreed upon. “...right. Right!” Akachi set foot out of his quarters, then halted his momentum and turned to Hwang. “Has it been a month already?”

“Well, yeah. Wasn’t the skyline in the distance a giveaway?” answered Hwang in a bewildered tone. Surely Akachi would have noticed something like that, but the reptile replied by raising an eyebrow with pursed lips.

“Oh right… you’re in the back of the ship.” Hwang said scratching his ear.

“Wasn’t the long walk down here a giveaway?” Akachi replied, waiting for a laugh track.

“Shut up. It’s been a long day.”

“It’s seven in the morning.”

“Ugh, don’t remind me.” Grogginess clouded Hwang’s eyes, the potent odor of coffee in his breath indicated the caffeine no longer had an effect on him. “C’mon, let’s walk and talk.”

Akachi pulled the door to his quarters shut, locking it behind him. He did a small pop and lock routine while pocketing the key to Hwang’s amusement. The potential to enjoy a warm morning made Akachi giddy.

“Practiced that all morning huh?” teased Hwang.

“Just for you buddy,” Akachi replied with a goofy smile.

“That reminds me, here’s your pay for all the extra work you’ve done around here.” Hwang fished out a neatly folded pair of $100 bills held down by a bright pink paperclip. 

Akachi looked at Hwang in bewilderment “Is this… out of your pocket? Hwang, you don’t have to.”

Hwang nodded, not letting the irony slip past him. “It’s fine. You deserve it.” He motioned for him to take the fold.

“No, really…”

“Consider it a gift. You’re gonna need it.”

Akachi hesitantly took the money. $200. He couldn’t recall the last time he held so much money. Money that Hwang was ok with letting go. 

“By the way,” Hwang remarked, “there’s something I’ve meant to talk to you about for a while.”

“I’m all ears.” Akachi put away the money as he looked to Hwang.

“You know Zootopia’s not accommodating for you ectotherms, right?” Hwang said with concern in his eyes. “If you can't stand minor wind chill, how do you expect to last a moment out there?”

“I hear Sahara Square’s nice. Like a slice of home.”

“Even so, the temperature there drops significantly at night. You won’t last.”

“Believe me; I’ve been through worse.”

“What’s worse than freezing to death?”

“Bombings, beheadings, concentration camps…” Akachi counted off on his claws.

“Alright alright. Thinking about the homeland I take it?”

“Yeah.”

“You heard anything? How's your family doing?”

Akachi took a deep breath. “Dunno. Last I heard, my home village is under government control. But that was before I crawled into that box.”

“I'm sorry to hear that.”

“It's fine. Not like you started the war.”

Hwang had another quip ready, but he held his tongue. Akachi’s somber tone echoed the nights of long talks between them after a bad day. Silence was his catharsis, even with Hwang around.

The bustle of the deck resonated throughout the hull of the ship. Crew members were doing last minute checks around the ship, preparing crates and barrels for unloading. None paid any mind to Hwang and Akachi, too busy prepping the ship to prep insults. Sunshine accompanied the two on their walk, soothing Akachi each time it caressed his face.

“It's a beautiful morning…” Akachi said longingly, looking out passing windows, absorbing the scenery piece by piece.

“Yeah? You'll love the view up front then.” Hwang said with an optimistic smile.

As the two stepped outside onto the deck, Akachi laid eyes on the skyline twinkling in the morning sun. Nothing could have prepared him for the breathtaking view. It left an impact so great, all he could do was utter “wow” under his breath.

“Ain't it something?” Hwang said with a nudge to Akachi’s arm. “What we're looking at is Savanna Central with Downtown just behind that. I love the Art Nouveau styling of the skyscrapers. Makes the city pop.”

Akachi continued to gaze at the skyline. He couldn't form the words for a response due in part to his jaw hanging open. The crisp morning air and the sound of crashing waves beautifully complemented the city. He would freeze time and revel at the moment forever if he could. To see it with his own eyes for the first time, to know that he's made it to the land of opportunity, to the city where anyone can be anything.

“Out there to the right, you have Sahara Square, where you'll be residing, I presume?” Hwang continued without Akachi’s attention. “Personally, I've never been, but I hear Palm Springs Casino is pretty neat.”

Akachi’s attention stayed with Downtown, paying no mind to the droning beside him. To be fair, he would have maybe acknowledged the trivia had he not been so mesmerized by the dense cityscape.

“Hey, don't get so starry-eyed. You gotta see the captain!” Hwang said open palming Akachi’s chest, breaking the hold the city had on him. “And don't take long, you're helping me with docking procedures!”

“Yeah yeah.” Akachi groaned as he set off towards to captain's quarters. 

He took a seat in Aura’s guest chair as they exchanged pleasantries. For an otter, the captain liked to have a room sized for an elephant, which Akachi found slightly odd. Aura’s rationale for this was that it kept him active, having to climb and reach for things on a daily basis. It definitely explained the captain’s decent physique.

“You, my friend, are a peculiar case,” Aura said, pulling out a manila folder from behind his enormous desk. “This stuff was not easy to make, but it's done and ready.”

Akachi took the folder and studied the contents. A work visa, a passport, and a Zootopia driver’s license, all professionally forged. Upon closer inspection, however, he noticed imperfections in the contents, most notably his name now being _Arturo Mink_.

“It's not perfect, but as long as whoever's looking at it doesn't have access to a database or glasses, you should be fine.”

“Wouldn't it be better _not_ to have this paperwork?” Akachi said, ready to point out the incorrect name.

“That’s the strangest _thank you_ I’ve ever heard.”

“Oh!” Akachi scrambled before gaining his composure. “My apologies, but my point is you didn’t have to go through all this trouble.”

“Well, I figured after you’ve done so much extra work for my ship, going above and beyond for a stowaway, it’s the _least_ I could do.” Aura gave the same shrug Hwang had given earlier.

Knowing he’d lost the battle against Aura, Akachi collected the paperwork back into the folder. He slid out of the vinyl chair and plopped onto the ground, ready to leave before Aura caught his attention once more.

“I happen to be friends with a truck yard manager just down the road, so I put in a good word using your new name. His name’s Tyrus Orsini, big brown bear, can’t miss him.”

“Thank you, captain!” 

“That’s more like it, you ingrate. Now, if you excuse me, I have a ship to dock.”

Akachi tittered as he stepped out into the world once more, ready to begin life anew, before a familiar shout snagged his attention. A faint sense of grumpiness grew on him for he couldn't wait to get off, but one more task couldn't hurt.

That one task became several as Akachi, Hwang, and any other free crew hands worked with the mess of ropes and chains, preparing them for when the tug boats finished moving the Albatross to the appropriate terminal. The minuscule vessels effortlessly but slowly moved the galactic cargo ship across the bay. Akachi figured it would be quicker to jump ship now than wait another month for the tiny boats to settle the Albatross to its terminal, but before he prepared the swan dive, the tugs left the ship to its own devices.

The crew worked without rest, tying ropes around the appropriate anchoring points as the ship backed parallel to the docks. In between breathing pauses, Akachi noticed no one was talking smack towards him. Whatever the case, he was happy to work in the neutral environment, though he was expecting a crew member to notice and hurl an insult for good measure.

“Lizard!”

Akachi felt a brick drop, but he kept focus on the anchoring mechanism of the ship.

“I need a hand, get over here!”

“I'll be right over!” yelled Akachi over the sound of banging chains.

Maybe having to work for so long when land was but a kiss away irritated the crew into amnesia? He didn't question it; he had no time to with all the footwork docking required.

When the ship finally came to a halt on the terminal, the crew readied the ramps as container cranes prepared to lift the cargo off the ship and onto waiting trucks below. Akachi was no longer of use at this point, so he fetched his bag at Hwang’s dismissal.

A sense of longing filled Akachi’s heart as he walked back to his quarters for the last time. He had gotten so used to the Albatross that he couldn’t imagine life off the ship. However, working for free can only do so much for an aspiring lizard such as himself. 

Packing was a much easier experience this time around. All he had to worry about was how he’d pack the space heater before Hwang unexpectedly stepped into his room, carrying a bag large enough for that pesky heater. Without a word, Hwang packed it into that bag and took off.

“Don't fall behind!” Hwang chirped, ahead of Akachi, who struggled to keep up.

Greeted once again by sea air and reversing trucks, the two walked down the ship's ramp and onto the docks. Zootopia felt… interesting under his flip flops. The last time he stood on a paved road, he was walking into a military recruitment office to turn in documents required for Calima’s recently reinstated draft.

“So, you waiting on anyone?” asked Hwang as he set the bag down.

“No.”

“Wow. You’re out here on your own, huh?”

“You're not coming with me?” jested Akachi, already knowing his answer.

Hwang chuckled. “Even if I wanted to, I have family back in Yang, dude.”

“What was the last month then?”

“I have thirty years with my family, Mamba. That's a tad more important last I checked.”

“If you say so.”

Hwang held out his paw towards Akachi. “Well, I can't say it was always a pleasure, but it was certainly an education. You’ve opened me up to a new culture I wouldn’t have ever thought about otherwise. You're an ambassador for your people out here Akachi, even if you don't realize it.”

Akachi opened up his arms in reply to Hwang’s hand.

“What's this?” Hwang asked.

“It's how my people say goodbye to friends!” Akachi motioned for a hug.

“Ha, alright then!” Hwang and Akachi embraced each other as hard as they could, slapping each other's backs forcefully.

Hwang, still holding Akachi’s shoulder, looked him in the eyes for the last time. “Look after yourself, yeah?”

“Likewise. Send my best to your family!” Akachi said to Hwang as he walked back to the Albatross.

“Will do!” Hwang bellowed from up the ramp, giving a two finger salute.

Akachi didn't want to move from his position. He felt compelled to witness his home of the past month leave the docks, but he knew that would be long after nightfall with the amount of cargo it was hauling. With a final two claw salute of his own toward Hwang’s general direction, Akachi picked up his bags and set off.

The bustle of the docks distracted Akachi every so often, observing the mammals at work. The second a worker made eye contact with him, he continued walking, hoping they wouldn't follow or possibly report him. He walked between barriers and stacked containers so no one would notice the conspicuous lizard roaming the dock. Soon he found himself walking down an empty road, presumably for trucks to get in and out of the docks. He took the moment of peace to take in all of his new surroundings.

Savanna Central. While it looked amazing from where he was on the Albatross, the surrounding area of the docks was less than glamorous. Old buildings, cracked roads, a putrid stench hovering in the air. Not much different than Calima’s slummy parts.

Mammals. So many different kinds, different shapes, sizes, breeds. Everything built to cater to their needs. Truly a sight to behold for a greenhorn like himself. It overwhelmed him slightly.

The crew of the Albatross primarily consisted of otters, minks, weasels, beavers, and the occasional other red panda beside Hwang. Even then, it was something that took a while to get used to, having only ever interacted with reptiles his whole life.

Reptiles…

Another thing he’d noticed: no reptiles on the dock. That made sense since Zootopia’s a mammalian city. Not for reptiles. Why not just flee to one of the Reptilian Union nations instead? Then again, how was he to know that box of scrap was bound for Zootopia?

Akachi Mamba. The first reptile to move to Zootopia. First Calimian to successfully escape the country without a trace. First official deserter of the Calimian military…

The paperwork.

Akachi took a seat on a curb and fished out the paperwork Aura gave him. Running his claw over his picture confirmed his suspicion: Aura had simply placed his image over someone else’s. So, his name’s now Arturo Mink, a mink born in Savanna Central. To the average moron, he could _maybe_ pass off as a furless mink, but any officer worth their salt would have him deported faster than a cheetah shot out of a cannon. Nothing would have been better.

He put the documents back in his bag before he thought about the nature of their existence. He's already gotten this far, not worth questioning. Not when there's a truck depot with possible work for him.

A congregation of trucks in an open warehouse caught his eye, remembering that the manager’s office isn't far from this building. The yard was much smaller than Akachi had pictured. Much more run down too, as if it was abandoned. Seemed perfect for the area, which he dubbed _Savanna Slums_. 

He entered the yard and looked around for that manager’s office. Looking to the right of the warehouse revealed a small annex office with a plaque on it. _Tyrus Orsini, Transport Manager_. 

Being a bit of a car enthusiast, he a tinge of excitement came at the thought of driving one of those trucks across Zootopia, hauling cargo, exploring the land. Another fantasy he had as a youngster. He swiftly knocked on the door, eager to barge in.

“It's open, come in” boomed a voice from behind the closed door. Akachi shoved the door open with his shoulder and walked inside, leaving his bags by the door.

“Aura called ahead?” Akachi timidly spoke. He laid eyes on the enormous brown bear sitting behind his desk, shuffling papers around, paying no mind to the lizard in his office.

“Ah, right! You must be Ar… turo…” Tyrus slowly raised his head while squinting at the lizard before him. Akachi looked around the room before realizing he was the source of the bear’s confusion.

“Is there a problem?”

“Aura didn't mention you were a lizard.” Tyrus resumed his paper shuffling.

“So?”

“I don’t hire egg suckers.”

Akachi’s stomach dropped through the floor. He felt he deserved to work for a rundown trucking company. The sort of company that only existed because someone needed to have a money front or a place to sleep when there’s no park benches nearby.

“Excuse me?” Akachi wanted to feel disbelief, but he expected hostility deep down. 

“Oh, pardon me,” Tyrus cleaned his glasses with a small piece of cloth, “I don’t hire fur trafficking slime bags. That sound better?”

Akachi’s eye began to twice. His blood boiling, claws digging into his palms. Seething rage replaced any amount of disgust left. Staring hard at the indifferent bear before him, trying to light the bastard on fire with his mind. A burning pile of excrement would make Akachi feel better.

“You're still here?” Tyrus looked with a raised eyebrow.

Akachi swallowed his rage. “You’re not gonna give me the time of day? Because I’m not a mammal? Aura took me in, why can’t you?”

Tyrus took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. “Aura’s gotten soft.”

Akachi stood his ground as Tyrus got up from his chair, almost hitting the ceiling. Akachi hadn’t noticed until just now, but the office was much too small for a bear. He and Aura could have switched places no problem.

“Let me explain something to you.” Tyrus slowly hovered over the lizard, who tried his hardest not to quiver in fear of the colossal predator. 

“First of all, this is a mammalian city. Have you seen any lizards here beside you? If you have, stop looking in a mirror and take another look. Second, aren’t you lizards supposed to be stupid rich? What’re you doing here?”

“If I had money, I wouldn’t be asking you for a job,” Akachi said through his teeth.

“And finally, even if I did want to hire you, you’re useless. You’d freeze to death after dinner time.”

In a strange sense, Akachi got some closure. It did make sense that an employer wouldn’t want someone who can’t work without a heat source. But still, Akachi refused to quit.

“I deserve a chance! You have no idea what I’ve gone through to get to this point!” Akachi hadn’t realized that his tone had significantly picked up. 

“You want a chance? You get back on that boat and go back to your own country. Your chances will be better. Now leave.” Tyrus took his seat behind the desk and put his glasses back on.

“No!” Akachi shouted at the top of his lungs, bearing his index claw. “YOU-”

Tyrus slammed a handgun onto his desk. Metal against metal reverberated in the small office, making Akachi wince slightly. His composure still intact, he locked eyes with the now furious bear, who gave a stare so intense it burned a hole through the lizard. 

“I’m not repeating myself,” Tyrus said with a sinister tone, his finger hovering over the trigger.

 _Breathe_ Akachi told himself. _Just breathe_ …

Defeated, Akachi collected his bags and left, shoulder ramming the door on his way out.

 _It’s not fair_... 

Aura and Hwang gave him a perverted sense of Zootopia. He was to be a shoo-in. He worked so hard on the Albatross, doing every possible thing he could to make a good impression, gain experience for the mammal world. All those nights he spent discussing Zootopia with Hwang, all the advice he’d gotten from Aura. All for naught. 

While the day was still bright and cheery, a dark cloud hovered over Akachi. All he wanted to do was crawl up into a ball and wait for someone to run him over. But he found the strength to settle into a rather large bus shuttle two miles from Tyrus’s depot.

While not quite like his old bed, it beat laying on wires. Though it was a long time ago, he still recalled the feeling of those wires. A false sense of adjustability. As if he needed to position himself _just right_ for optimum comfort. The shuttle bench was far more forgiving. Just an honest, hard surface. No need to adjust himself in the least because it’s as good as it’s going to get.

Akachi had fished out his heaviest jacket and put it on over his sweater. Though it was still balmy, he didn’t want to take any chances on any sudden cold fronts. He had no way to tell the time, but he figured that since the sun was still up, he had plenty of time to find a nice warm place to sleep in. Otherwise, he’d be alright with sleeping on this bench… nice and snuggly… in the most ghetto part of Savanna Central…

 _That son of a bitch_ …

For what seemed like a brief moment, Akachi rose from his slumber to the sound of a diesel engine winding down in the distance. Sure enough, a bus, rivaling the Albatross in sheer size, slowly pulled up to the shuttle Akachi took his nap in. Just above the windshield read a sign that said _55 TO MARKET ST_. After a hiss and screech fit, the bus came to a halt right next to the bench.

Akachi grabbed his bags and moved up to the enormous steps. Seem to be a Class 4 bus he thought as he threw his bags one at a time to each step. When he finally reached the top, he was greeted by a cross pachyderm who seemed to regret stopping for the suspicious looking animal in this awful part of town.

“Are you going to Sahara Square?” Akachi asked the driver.

“Palm Springs Casino’s far as I’m goin’.” The driver pointed with his trunk at the LED sign above his seat. 

Market Street? Palm Springs Casino? Whatever, as long as it took Akachi away from that truck depot. 

Akachi took out his $200 and looked at the farebox. Thankfully, there was some accommodation for smaller animals, but they all asked for $1.75. Either that or a bus card which he certainly didn’t have.

“My smallest bill is $100…” 

“Too bad. Either you pay the fare, or you’re walkin’,” the driver grunted. So long as the bus started moving again, it didn’t make a difference what the lizard did.

Hesitantly, Akachi put the large bill into the slot. He felt it slip out of his claws, knowing there was nothing he could do anymore. Slaving away at the captain’s floor, scrubbing barnacles off the hull, unclogging exhaust ports, cooking the food he wasn’t allowed to have. All for $200. Money he didn’t know he had coming. Money that he would now have to stretch for Lord knows how long. Money that took a lifetime to earn and less than a second to waste. At least the machine smiled and wished him a safe journey. Every little bit helps…

He dragged his feet to an empty seat as the bus lurched forward, the diesel engine in the rear sending subtle vibrations throughout the cabin. Clearly an older, unrefined model of bus. Which reeked of cheap cleaning products. A fine way to blow $100. On this chariot of magnificent opulence. 

Akachi had picked a seat two rows back from the driver. The cabin was sparse, only filled with empty seats. Shame he couldn’t share this ride with anyone else. Then again, he didn’t want to interact with anyone else after the infuriating interview with Tyrus and wasting his life savings. 

Silence was not an option for Akachi as the engine roared away behind his seat. To drown out the noise, he pulled out his walkman from in his back and slipped on the headphones. Cranking the volume to its maximum setting, he fired up his Kendrick Lemur cassette and let it play from the very first track.

He’d listened to this cassette religiously. It’s the one worldly possession he couldn’t live without. A birthday gift he’d gotten a long time ago. Whenever the world got him down, he let it play on repeat. Each beat, each verse, each hook enveloped him in a laid back state of mind only a hip hop artist as brilliant as Lemur could.

The laid back feeling soon gave way to drowsiness. Akachi found himself unusually comfortable, knowing that he’ll be riding this bus for a long time, possibly alone, at least in his seat. Soon, the lyrics felt more and more distant with each line… each rhyme… each thump… each bump… 

__

_And this particular person just had it down pat_

  
_

Starin' at me for the longest until he finally asked…

_  
_

Have you ever opened up Exodus 14?

_  
_

A humble man is all that we ever need

_  
_

Tell me how much a dollar cost...

_


End file.
